Mean Machines for the 40th Anniversary are available to purchase. Just click below. Details to follow…
Mar 162013
Jul 112012
The Renegades opened the day at Harrisburg 7s with a 17-15 win over a hard hitting Lancaster team. Early scoring with quick runs allowed the ladies to execute great team plays and passing. Colleen Dwyer scored two trys and Colleen Erickson added another and the Renegades were able to hang on to the win even after Liz Kelly was given a yellow late in the game.
In game two the Renegades suffered the first loss of the day dropping a 14-12 score to tournament hosts Harrisburg. A very skilled and athletic Harrisburg team was able to score the eventual game winning try off a lucky bouncing ball that caught the defense off guard. In spite of the heat and a lot of kicking by both teams, the Renegades were able to lay out some big hits and make Harrisburg work for every inch of the pitch. The game came down to the wire and the Renegades were not able to produce in the final minutes of the game. Diana Valencia and Sybil Taunton saw the try zone in this game. Harrisburg went on to be the eventual tournament winners.
Game three was pure domination for the Renegades beating the Lady Hooligans by a score of 31-12. The Renegades capitalized on a hesitant opposition and were able to take advantage of finding gaps and making long runs. Also noted in this game was Lizz Kelly’s full field sprint and diving tackle to keep the Hooligans scoreless in the second half. Great team effort! Lizz Kelly had 1 Colleen Erickson had 2 Kate Kelly had 1 and rookie Louise aka Frenchie had 1. Kate Kelly also stepped up and had 3 conversions.
Game four was the first round of playoffs and the Renegades were paired to play Division I powerhouse Keystone. The Renegades ended up on the losing end with a final score of 31-14 but in no way is the score reflective on how well the team played! On both the offensive and defensive end the Renegades ran hard and hit hard. Early trys by both teams indicated that the game could go either way. Leave it to the official to make a few controversial calls, the Renegades getting caught NOT BACK 10, TWICE and Keystone punching in an easy try, the momentum of the game was swung away from our favor. STILL such a great showing in a tough, hard fought game. Sybil Taunton and Kate Kelly were able to score.
Hoping to go out with a win in the consolation game, the Renegades suffered a heartbreaker two minutes into the game. One of our new rookies, and visitor to the States, Louise “Frenchie” Verley from France went down with an injury. She eventually left the field in an ambulance with what turned out to be a dislocated knee. Both teams decided on not finishing the game.
So the Renegades finished the day 2-2 and look forward to the rest of the summer It was nice to have a full 12 man roster on such a hot day. We hope to continue to keep numbers up at practice. We also have a lot of great rookies that we would like to keep around. Louise is said to have been feeling better and is recovering. Happy 4th of July!
Jul 292011
On saturday, the 13th of august, the Monmouth Rugby Club will play host to the Dungannon, an All Ireland League Division 1B club. They will be in states for just about a week to see how they fare against American clubs, as they also move to take on the boston Irish Wolfhounds on the following thursday. Monmouth decided to put together a presidents side, inviting all New Jersey based rugby clubs to try out their interested and best players.
Come on out to Thompson park to watch, kickoff is at 1pm.
Roster
Forwards
Ryan Milun
Mario Fragale
Tim Crane
Rob Shope
Nic Lucarelli
Brian Shanahan
Raj Edwards
Andrew Poulson
John Russionello
James Barlow
Alec Delvecchio
David Del Pizzo
Mark Biafore
Sean Mallon
Bobby Mroz
Backs
Chris Cooke
Rob Morello
Evan Fitzgerald
Tyler Maccubbin
Joe Lucarelli
Eric Daneman
Kevin Kustelski
Garrett Mozolic
Alizar Zorojew
Nick Lynch
Michael Byrnes
Presidents’ Pick
Chris Kaldrovics
Jul 252011
The 7s program finished its wildly successful summer yesterday, placing both Mens’ and Womens’ team in their respective cup finals at the Surfside 7s Tournament on the beach in Stone Harbor, NJ.
Men
After storming their way to the final with a 25-0 thrashing of Media, the 3-0 mens’ team encountered a fast and physical Shockers side. Although there was no shortage of effort or physicality in the match, “clean” would not be one of the adjectives to describe this game. Monmouth had, but could not connect on countless scoring opportunities (if you’re sensing frustration in the tone of this, you would be correct). After a long try at the end of regulation by Joe Lucarelli and a clutch conversion by Nick “The Fattest Foot in the East” Lucarelli, MRFC took the game into overtime. However, once again sloppy play doomed the boys, who gave up a try at the end of the first overtime period and were blanked in the second to fall to the Shockers 21-14.
Renegades
Having not had a legit practice session in weeks, and despite traveling to Stone Harbor with only 7 ladies, the Renegades borrowed a player or two en route to a wonderful run to the final. Athleticism and chemistry were the words of the day as the ladies tackled and crashed their way through their pool and then scored a lovely, hard fought try at the end of the semifinal to defeat rival Morris. However, a spritely Cheseapeake side showed a bit more speed and endurance against our short-handed Renegades, who fell despite a valiant effort.
Robbie’s editorial- Having been through six summer seasons with the club, I speak for all the senior players who played this year in expressing our sincere honor to have been a part of this run. This was, by far, the most successful summer campaign in a long time (quite possibly in MRFC history) both on and off the field. The memories from these last few months will be with us forever, and I am, as always, privileged to have been able to wear the colors and represent the club.
Recap
Men
Rockaway 7s Cup Champions
Binghamton Roadkill 7s Cup Champion
Lehigh Valley 7s Bowl Champion
Surfside 7s Cup Runner- Up
Women
Surfside 7s Cup Runner-Up
Now it’s time to parlay this success into a METNY title in the fall. Rest your legs, hit the gym and get ready for a NASTY fall season.
Jun 202011
after a successful spring 2011 season where speed became the point of shifted focus, the monmouth rugby sevens team has kept momentum alive in taking home hardware in our first two tournements entered in, this summer. first, we travelled to the lehigh valley sevens tournemnt, a marfu qualifier, and one of the most successfully run tournaments run on the east coast, winning four games, losing one and coming home with the bowl. eric daneman led the way with nine tries on the day, with nick lynch following with two and evan fitzgerald and mark biafore each adding a try of their own.
next, the monmouth side travelled to rockaway beach to play in the 35th running of the rockaway beah sevens tournament. monmouth would face three division 1 rivals, in morris,new york and long island on their way to taking home the cup. leading the way this time was tourament mvp, joe lucarelli, scoring 9 tries on the day. the rest of the roster was filled out by by andrew orden, andrew poulson, eric daneman, rob morello, mark biafore, michael byrnes, and nick lucarelli.
training is on normal schedule this week – tuesday and thursday at west front street, 7PM. harrisburg this weekend, update your teamsnap
May 242011
The day started earlier than most, with the Christian Brothers Academy newly competing squad facing off intramurally at just half past nine, but for so many of us, it started days, weeks, months, years and decades ago. As has been the case for the past few years, Monmouth Day was going to house games for all of our sides, including the third iteration of the Mean Machine game, this time squaring up with Suffolk. Even though there match was played with ebbs and flows of pace, the MM was able to hold Suffolk off, even as they started pleading to borrow some of our own players. That’ll show them to ask for extra time.
The Renegades also stood strong against a travelling Doylestown side, defeating them handidly, and showing off a nice mix of both young and veteran players. It was mildly through this games first half, that we saw the sidelines starting to pile up, and the sun began to shine, and the wind began to die. It was there on those sidelines that I began to see the many face of Monmouth Rugby, five year old girls who met on these Thompson Park sidelines, a MM player walking off in his own camraderie of ‘scoring in five decades’, current players who joined at 35 and ones that joined at 15. They were all over, and they all had their stories to tell. There was plenty of rehashing, tales of glory moments on the fields and nipping around at all the friends they haven’t seen, haven’t met, or just needed someone to remind them of.
The senior side took on the travelling Montclair side, and though there was an early scare, Monmouth settled down and took them down with astute ferocity, welcoming in new player “Bobby Brady”. Before the second side fielded against Montclair, the Monmouth Old Boys took on a kinned side from Montclair, and though Montclair came out on top, to a man they all had their fun.
After the games, everyone made their way back to the clubhouse where they we welcomes to a Kenny Molina roasted pig, as well as music by the Jukebox Criminals and a Hall of fame ceremony that was well in the making. We’d like to thank everyone that came out and hope that it will not be the last time we see any of you. Nothing but great things have been said, and I think it is important that, not only did everyone enjoy themselves, we were able to be quielty reminded of how much each of us matters to each other.
Thanks to all, and congrats to the latest in the Hall of Fame class:
May 102011
This Saturday, the 14th of May, is Monmouth Rugby’s favorite day of the year. Plenty of rugby, family and fun await anyone who wishes to come on down to Thompson Park. Games start at 9:30 with some high school 7′s, as the Colts of Christian Brothers Academy look to show their wares. They’ll be followed by the Renegades taking on the ladies of Doylestown at half past ten. The Mean Machine follow up taking on the travelling Suffolk side.
Monmouth’s first fifteen then take on state rival Montclair with kickoff at 1:30, and Montclairs old boys are coming down, as well, to take on Monmouth’s Old Boys immediately follwing. Our second XV takes on Montclairs young and developing second side after three o’clock.
Then it is back to the clubhouse, where the Monmouth family will celebrate our unitive bonds over pig and brew, as well as present the 2011 Hall of Fame inductees.
All are invited, all are welcome and all should feel inclined to join!
CBA 7s – 9:30
Monmouth Women v Doylestown – 10:30
Mean Machine v Suffolk – 12:00
Monmouth Men A v Montclair A – 1:30
Monmouth Old Boys v Montcair Old Boys 3:00
Monmouth Men B v Montclair B – 3:20